Home :: Episodes
Characters :: Background
News :: Feedback

VALERIE: Jesus...I thought you were supposed to be able to find everything in Google. Come, there's got to be something on Hugh Rogers online. Something about an arrest or something recent...he can't have just up and disappeared from Atlantic City like that.

The front door opens and Simon Holden enters. Valerie quickly closes her laptop.

VALERIE: Honey! What are you doing home?

SIMON: I could ask you the same thing.

VALERIE: Gave myself the day off.

SIMON: One of my appointments cancelled, so I cam home early.

VALERIE: Oh.

SIMON: What were you looking at on the laptop there? Porn?

VALERIE: Oh...just work. Even with a day off, I'm always busy.

SIMON: I see.

Simon reaches for the laptop, but Valerie swats his hand away.

VALERIE: Don't you even think about surfing the Internet, mister. The only thing I want you on right now...is me.

Valerie grabs Simon and pulls him into a kiss.

VALERIE: Now that's better.

JESSICA: Hey Alec.

Jessica kisses him.

JESSICA: How it's going?

ALEC: As well as summer school tends to go, I guess. Jess...what do you want?

JESSICA: Too see how you're doing. That's what I asked, isn't it?

ALEC: I'm sorry.

JESSICA: Don't be sorry.

ALEC: I should get going, I've got rehearsal tonight.

JESSICA: Do you want to hang out afterwards? Maybe get some ice cream or something?

ALEC: Um...Jess, what are you doing?

JESSICA: Asking you out on a date, I guess. Is that a problem?

ALEC: Yeah. It is.

JESSICA: I don't understand.

ALEC: I'm not sure exactly how to say this, so I'm going to just go ahead and say it. We're not going on a date, Jessica. Not tonight. Not ever.

JESSICA: Huh?

ALEC: Look, we tried to date before, and it didn't work out. Even without Vince and...well, that's all water under the bridge. What I'm trying to say is, we had sex while we were both pretty intoxicated. It probably shouldn't have happened, but it did. There's no need to make things worse by complicating things. [Beat] I gotta go, Jess.

Alec exits.

VINCE: Riley, how's it going?

RILEY: Fine, Vince. Where'd you come from?

VINCE: My room.

RILEY: Weren't you supposed to be at school?

VINCE: I took the day off.

RILEY: Uh huh. When Michael finds out, and he usually does, I never knew anything.

The doorbell rings. Riley opens the door to find Julia Mitchell standing outside.

JULIA: Vince. I was surprised to get your text message, I thought you still had summer classes until next week.

RILEY: Don't ask me.

Riley exits.

VINCE: Screw summer school. I've got a surprise for you.

JULIA: A surprise?

VINCE: How'd you like to go to France?

JULIA: What?

VINCE: I'm hungry. I'm sort of in the mood for French...how about you?

JULIA: Vince, we can't just go to France!

VINCE: I'm practically a Hanley now, Julia. I can go to France whenever I please.

JULIA: Well...

VINCE: And it won't be fun unless my friend is with me. So let's go.

JULIA: Are we going to a fancy restaurant? I don't have anything to wear.

VINCE: We'll buy something. Let's go.

Vince opens the door and exits with Julia. A few minutes pass by, and the doorbell rings again. Riley enters and opens the door. Officer Jamie Grady is standing in the doorway.

RILEY: Officer.

OFFICER GRADY: Riley Schaefer?

RILEY: Yes. Can I help you?

OFFICER GRADY: You're under arrest for the attempted murder of Mark Zane.

DARREN: Uncle Robert.

ROBERT: Darren. What do you want?

DARREN: I have a package for you.

ROBERT: Then give it to me, please. I'm busy.

Darren hands Robert the package.

DARREN: Uncle Robert, can we talk about the party?

ROBERT: [Coldly] Darren, I'm busy.

DARREN: Fine.

Darren exits. Robert sighs and opens the package, where he finds a case with a DVD in it. He takes the DVD out and places it into his computer, waiting for it to play. Once the DVD begins playing, he realizes that it's the recording of Vince's birthday party.

ROBERT: Oh, Felicia. I believe this is what they call checkmate.